The two weeks framework
When working on yearly and multi-year strategic plans, the day-to-day business always requires daily execution. The balance between being on track with a long term vision and actually making the machine move forward is not an easy one to manoeuver.
Oscillating between falling into a hiatus of overthinking your moves & getting frozen in place and, shooting everywhere at the risk of hitting the wrong target, there’s a balance that provides both action & vision. I call it the two weeks framework.
Why two weeks?
It’s the perfect timeline to be able to work mid-term: that period of time remains picturable: rather than an trimester or a semester which are less tangible and extended lapses of time, therefore being windows that can lead to postponing more and procrastinating more.
It’s not too short either, preventing you to have space to work on the more intricate tasks and do in depth missions. Being able to plan time slots for learning, for community work and so on.
Two weeks also makes it more trackable in terms of KPI leaving time to readjust as you go and having a simple rhythm of bi-monthly planning. It also leaves space to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders given the calendars are mostly fully booked if you don’t anticipate at least one full week in advance.
Two weeks cadences your approach while have the freedom to descope from the daily to-do’s. The right balance between a marathon and a sprint while having command over your destination!
What business or project organization framework have you tried and which gives you the best results? If you try your planning with the two weeks framework let me know!
-Pauline